- * 'I'II Bring Back Power From APC To PDP', He Boasts
- Lambasts Other PDP Aspirants As Cowards Who Abandoned Party During It's Trying Times
By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief) @CeleOkaf11
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, noted for his garrulous disposition, has declared interest in the 2023 Presidential race.
Wike who made his intention known on Sunday March 27, 2022, when he visited his Benue state counterpart, Samuel Ortom, in Makurdi, is set to vie on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He will be among the 9 (nine) aspirants of the party who will be jostling for the PDP ticket at it's Presidential primary scheduled for May this year. Wike was equally in Benue to consult with stakeholders of the PDP over his Presidential ambition
The nine prominent contenders of the party are: Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, a former Senate President and an ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007; Senator Olobukola Saraki, another former Senate President and former governor of Kwara State; Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Others are: Senator Bala Muhammed, governor of Bauchi state and a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja; Mr Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra state and an ex-Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 general elections; governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers state who is a also a former Minister of State for Education; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, a renowned Pharmacist and former Chairman of both Neithmet Pharmaceutical International Plc and Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), as well as Chief Dele Momodu, a prominent Journalist and Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Ovation International magazine.
Addressing PDP stakeholders in Benue in the presence of his host, governor Samuel Ortom, the Rivers State governor was optimistic that the PDP would defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Saturday February 26, 2023 President poll. He begged the PDP to give him the ticket of the party, boasting that among all the aspirants on the party's platform, he is the only one that has the "capacity" to snatch the Presidential power from the APC at the poll.
Governor Wike told his host and party stakeholders that, “If you’re running for election, power isn’t given for free; it is taken. I’ve come out and I’m going to take this power from APC back to PDP by the grace of God. God has given us what it takes. That’s why God is making APC to make mistake everyday and that is how you know that God is with you,” he claimed.
Wike reminded the party faithfuls that he had stood strongly with the PDP all through its trying times, funding and galvanizing the party from disintegration since it lost power to the APC in 2015 general elections, when many members allegedly “ran away”. He assures that if elected President, he will further protect the interest of the party and that of the Nigerian people.
De-marketing other PDP Presidential aspirants however, governor Wike maintains that, “Those who want to be president now (in PDP) were the problems of the party in 2015. They ran away when the party needed them most. But I have stood and worked for this party. I have nowhere to run to because I take it personally that the party should not die. And I challenge anyone in a debate to name what they did for the PDP".
The governor who explained why he chose Benue state as venue for his presidential declaration instead of his home state Rivers or the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, said he took that option because of his unexplained "special relationship" with Benue state. He added that another reason was because Benue has remained the hotbed of insecurity and killing field of Nigeria by yet unknown armed herders. He maintains that he wants to be President in 2023 so as to tackle insecurity and entrench rule of law in the country.
Wike said thus: “It is obvious that I am going to run for the presidency of this country. I am declaring for the first time in Benue state because of my special relationship with them. People are not suspecting, but let it be known today that I am announcing it in Benue because I have a special relationship with this state.”
As President of Nigeria, governor Nyesom Wike assured that heads of Security Agencies including his Service Chiefs would be given requisite incentive support to enhance the discharge of their statutory responsibilities with clear presidential deadlines to arrest the spate of insecurity in the land. He warned that he would brook no excuses of non-performance from his security chiefs.
“Today, you can’t talk about security in this country, and without security you can’t talk about governance. The first thing anybody who takes an oath of office swears to is that you must protect lives and property. If you can’t protect life and property then you can’t talk about governance. So the major thing is that our people should be alive”, Wike stated.
On the need to revamp the nation's economy, governor Wike blamed the current crisis in the economy on the failure to attract direct foreign investment into the country through lack of respect for rule of law. He argues that, “Nobody can bring investment in this country because there is no respect for the rule of law. Nobody obeys court order. Who will come and invest his money when the court gives its judgement and it will not be obeyed? So, I am going to run for election and victory will be ours.
The Rivers State Governor however urged the delegates of the PDP to lend their support to him in the upcoming PDP’s presidential primary, claiming that he has the capacity to trounce the APC at the poll and rehabilitate the country for the better.
Wike however came down very hard on some of his fellow PDP Presidential aspirants, warning the delegates of the party to beware of those he described as lotus eaters in PDP. He said such people have contributed nothing to the party's development. Wike identified those party aspirants as those seeking to dominate the party with inheritance from their late fathers and those who arrogate founding fatherhood and foundational membership of the PDP to themselves, claiming that they are actually the major problem of the PDP who caused the defeat of the opposition party in 2015
“Let these people who are interested in the presidency in PDP tell us their contributions. You claimed to be one of the founding fathers of the party, but you have left and come back, you have become an ordinary person in the new PDP. If you form a company and run away because the company is not doing well, you come back and found that it is now doing well and you want to come and take it over. Is it possible?
“Some people want to use Nigeria to get back their private businesses. Let them mention their private sector that survived. Is it a bank that your father had? Everybody is an employer of labour, even me I have 50 people in my house. So everybody has been employing people according to his capacity. In 2015, most of these people made us (PDP) lose the election.”
Wike continued: “I have spoken truth to power, I don’t have problem with anybody but I have to tell them the truth. Umahi (Ebonyi State Governor) and others abused me because I told him that he cannot take our mandate away. As a governor, I have performed well. I can go anywhere with my shoulder high. How many of them (PDP aspirants) have challenged this government (APC)?”
The Rivers State governor however made a donation of N200 million each to Katsina Ala and Makurdi LGAs for the upkeep of victims of recent fire disaster in those areas. He emphasized the need for Nigerians to be their brother's keepers by rallying support to fellow citizens who.are unfortunate victims of disasters and unforseen calamities.
Speaking at the occasion, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, expressed his deep appreciation to governor Wike's financial contributions to the people of his State, particularly over the herders invasion of the Benue Communities and the killings in recent times. Ortom, however promised that Benue state will reciprocate Wike gestures by supporting his 2023 Presidential bid.
“Periodically, you have been helping us, particularly during the 2018 crisis in the state. We will support your aspiration because you have sown seed and you need to reap. On the Southern Presidency, I stand because l have been an advocate of Southern presidency", Ortom claimed. NNL.
